The NF-P12 has been specifically developed for applications such as CPU coolers that demand superior pressure and airflow performance. Thanks to psychoacoustic optimizations like the Vortex-Control Notches, the new SCD drive system and Noctua's premium-grade SSO-Bearing, the NF-P12 achieves exceptional quietness and long-term stability.

"It beat out all of the other fans we put it up against even though the gap narrowed a bit in the last water cooling test. This shows that the high degree of engineering put into this product was not just window dressing since it performs exactly as Noctua promises and then some. Whether it was cooling a Thermalright heatsink or a Black Ice radiator, the NF-P12 proved that it was the best choice for applications which call for a high amount of static pressure. Without a doubt, every part of Noctua’s fan is top notch in terms of build quality and performance. I also like the fact that all of the mounting hardware is included and as well as two prepackaged adaptors for lowering the rotational speed of the fan.
What really surprised me was the distinct lack of noise produced by this Noctua fan. I was prepared for a moderate increase in noise over the NF-S12 fans I was using on my case but lo and behold, the NF-P12 equaled the quiet performance of Noctua’s older fans. To have this kind of performance with the lack of blade or motor noise is a dream come true for people who demand the quietest PC possible. In many cases, an enthusiast will buy a fan speed controller or build their own resistors into a fan’s wiring in order to lower the amount of noise produced by a fan. With the NF-P12 that is no longer necessary since not only does it offer near-silent operation but Noctua has also included two fan speed adaptors to lower RPMs for even less noise."

Test verdict:"Personally, I think that the tests in this review speak louder than any conclusion I can write because the results were so convincing. The Noctua NF-P12 was the best fan we tested. Period." (SKYMTL, HardwareCanucks.com)

"Utilising both the NF-S12 and NF-P12 120mm fans on the radiator for our cooling tests yielded some interesting results. I have included some Scythe S-FLEX results in the chart to help make a comparison. The NF-S12 800 gets left behind at 7v, but the NF-P12 performs better than the Scythe S-FLEX's thanks to its increased static pressure. The NF-P12 certainly has the goods and it performs well whilst being almost totally quiet. Excellent effort Noctua!"

"The first thing you'll notice with the Noctua NF-P12 fan is the lack of noise at all rpm levels. The next thing you'll see in the testing results is that the Noctua fan performs better than the other fans while running at a lower fan speed. Obviously the design of the Noctua is excellent, allowing better performance at a lower fan speed while maintaining virtually no noise. Essentially what we are seeing here is that the Noctua NF-P12 is more efficient at moving air than the other fans tested, something that is very desirable with any type of fan."

Test verdict:"Noctua performs better than the other fans used in the comparison while running at lower speeds. Silence, performance and quality are things that have become synonymous with Noctua, they truly do make some of the best performing fans on the market today." (Kristofer Brozio, DragonSteelMods.com)

"As decibelmeters don't tell everything I also did some more subjective noise tests. I listened to the noise of both fans to judge which one makes the least noise but this wasn't an easy task as both fans are very quiet. At a distance of more than a meter you practically won't be able to hear them unless your room is very quiet. The noise production of both fans seems to be about even but I have to admit that the psychoacoustic optimizations seem to work as when I put the fans right next to my ear I found the noise produced by the NF-P12 a bit more pleasant. "

Test verdict:"Once again Noctua doesn't disappoint. The NF-P12 produces a decent airflow, a high static pressure and is extremely quiet. This fan is perfect for low-noise CPU, radiator, PSU or case cooling." (Thomas De Maesschalck, DVhardware.net)